A
sprachbund (; , "federation of languages") – also known as a
linguistic area,
area of linguistic convergence,
diffusion area or
language crossroads – is a group of
languages that have common features resulting from geographical proximity and
language contact. They may be
genetically unrelated, or only distantly related. Where genetic affiliations are unclear, the sprachbund characteristics might give a false appearance of relatedness.
Areal features are common features of a group of languages in a sprachbund.
